Modern Toilets – State of Public Toilets Around The World

Introduction

As with human evolution, toilets have evolved over the past century. From the motley collection of communal outhouses, chamber pots and holes in the ground, to the flush toilets that are widely used today; the condition of our toilet systems has drastically improved. In this paper, we will discuss how olden toilets has improved in its level of accessibility, design, hygiene. Apart from the technological advancement which improves the state of toilets, governments around the world has been setting aside more funds for clean toilets upon recognising it’s economic value and health benefits. Additionally, it is equally important that we discuss the issue surrounding the availability of toilets and toilets sanitation which seem to be often neglected in the past. However, this is slowly changing. The United Nation has recognised the importance of good sanitation. They also call for the end of open defecation, adequate and equitable sanitation, and hygiene for all in one of its Sustainable Development Goals. These shocking statistics only serve to further justify that we have ignored this topic for long enough (in exchange for other topics such as water conservation, which has been looked upon as an even more pressing issue).

Accessibility of Toilets

The prevalence of toilets has increased its accessibility for the public in city areas. Portable toilets improve the convenience for people whenever temporary events are held. Mobile toilet works similarly to a conventional toilet. For a conventional toilet, the siphon sucked the water out of the bowl and down the sewer pipe. While for a portable table, the tank beneath the toilet seat and the holding tank contain chemicals that destroys the waste. The pressure created by the pump flush system circulates the water. (2016) Mobile toilet is typically flushed with the waste that combined with a blue chemical compound. But the advancement of technology has created a rising trend towards vacuum toilets, similar to the airplane ones, when the flush of the toilet is activated, liquid rushes out of the trapdoor and the waste is sucked out. (2017) The toilets use minimal water and no chemicals which means that they are better for health. The convenience of it having less waste to disposed of make it suitable for crisis situations. The well-located portable toilets provide convenience to the public when there are temporary events. Creative measures by the Paris officials to discourage public urination have been met with public outrage. These well-situated open-air urinals provide a more convenient place for the men to urinate as it is prevalent in the city. Men no longer need to search for conventional toilet cubicles to urinate. Undeniably, these open-air urinals are considered to be an ecological and innovative solution since no water is required for the waste to be composted. The open-air urinal consists of a metal box full of straw which is used to absorb the smell and could be composted to fertilize plants. The boxes are designed with a large wedge that allows men to get close and urinate into the urinals. The Paris officials implemented these toilets with the intention to deter those who have unabashedly urinated in public areas resulting in strong smell of urine. These actions by the government is meant to improve the convenience for men to urinate and thus improve their city’s image. Perhaps, the ease of accessibility of these toilets facilities sometimes make it easier to forget the fact that toilets are still considered considered a luxury for a third of the world’s people who have no access to them.

Importance of Hygienic Toilets

The hygiene of toilets directly affects our health. Toilets with poor sanitation is the main cause of diarrhea death. Even till today, seven out of ten people still lack access to safe and hygienic toilet. (Wor) Developed countries have their fair share 3 of hygiene issues centering around toilets. One example being Singapore, whereby the condition of public toilets in coffee shops can be extremely distasteful. It is common to see urine on the floor and faulty taps in these toilets. The common trend towards eating out means that society cannot afford to be negligent about hygiene in public areas such as toilets. However, there are also cases whereby circumstances limit the choices of the people. In refugee camps, men and women are required to share a communal toilet. These toilets are often unhygienic as they are usually simply makeshift toilet with nobody to clean and maintain them. Furthermore, these toilets are situated in overcrowded places which means that germs can be transmitted very easily, and this increases the possibility of disease spreading around. In the developing countries such as India, there is a lack of toilets. 70% of its people living in villages still defecate in the open despite the devastating health issues. Only when there are hygienic toilets, there can be a decrease in these avoidable health issues.

With the rapid technological expansion, it is no wonder that toilets are improving tremendously with the help of these technology. The progress of toilet technology results in numerous environmentally friendly toilets that helps to conserve water. One example would be the waterless urinals. The storage space stores the urine that flow through the urinal drain and shut in the odor of the urine. The urine passes through an oil-based fluid, which acts as a sealing liquid to prevent the exposure of the odor and the urine is then amassed in a waste deposit. The oil layer prevents the odor from being exposed to the outside. This waterless toilet technology helps to conserve water and is considered more hygienic as no water is required to flush the waste down the drain. However, the downside to this is that waterless urinals are problematic to change, and odors can be created when they are being changed. Another example of the improvement of technology would be the standing-style urinals for women in malls. The no-touch 4 urinals ensure the cleanliness of the toilet and enhance the overall hygiene. Another one of the more prominent toilet design would be the Washlets in Japan. (Brasor, et al. , 2010) Washlets in Japan are normally equipped with features such as seat warming and bidet functions. It also includes air-drying and smell removing mechanisms.

Additionally, the development of dual flush toilets allows the user to select between a half flush for liquid waste or a full flush for solid waste. This function helps to conserve water. The state of toilets around the world differs vastly, but undeniably, technology has played an essential role in improving the toilets in terms of cleanliness as well as comfort. Furthermore, technology also helped to achieve sustainability as lesser water is wasted due to improved toilets such as the waterless toilets. Beyond any doubt, in the next century, we would continue to see more of how technology would improve the usability of toilets.

Inclusiveness of Toilets

Toilet is considered one of the more basic necessities and hence, it should meet the needs of different groups of people. In recent years, there is an increase in the number of handicap toilet and decrease in the number of squat toilets as countries seek to revamp their toilets. Take for instance, in China, the users are required to squat in order to take a look which could prove difficult for elderly or the disabled. But all these is changing in China, as the government aims to revamp their toilets in an attempt to boost their reputation and image. China President Xi JinPing invested $20 billion Yuan to improve and increase the availability of toilets across the country.

Other developed countries such as Singapore also included regulations of a minimum of at least one accessible toilets for people with disabilities. Handicap toilets have sufficient space to accommodate the wheelchair to the sides of the toilet or in front of it. These handicap toilet serves to better accommodate for people with disabilities and hence contributes towards a more inclusive society. Another example of efforts towards a more accessible toilet would be Brisbane. Brisbane has just been crowned the 2018 International Toilet Tourism Award for its accessible toilets. The Brisbane Airport facility includes specialized equipment such as adult changing table and a toilet with removable hand rails for people with severe disabilities. Furthermore, it even has an indoor loo for guide dogs that travel with people with disabilities.

Furthermore, according to research, there is generally a lack of public toilet designed that is appropriate for individuals living with dementia. There have been guidelines such as the use of automatic flush systems and non-reflecting surfaces implemented to improve the ease of usage for these people. 5 However, the unavailability of comprehensive exit signs nullifies the positive aspect of a well-designed toilet facility. This shows how there is much more that could be done in order to boost the inclusivity of toilets around the world. Aesthetic of Toilets The design and the creativity of toilets, although often overlooked, serves as a method to attract people. As the world starts to value innovation and practicality simultaneously, the creativity of the toilet is also one of the attractive part of toilets. In France, the new improvement made to the modern, self-cleaning toilets known as Sanisettes can be found in parks and throughout the city. A coin is required to open the door and a sensor in the floor causes the door to close and lock. Once the user leaves, the door closes again and the toilet is mechanically cleaned and sanitized by a cleaning device, and a green light motion to indicate that the toilet is ready for the next user. These toilets are creativity and practical at the same time as it is available throughout the city. In addition to this, San Francisco has been considering the implementation of modern toilets with sleek design. The toilet design reflects the position of San Francisco’s position as the “tech city”. The exterior is made of polished steel and has a curved and hour-glass design topped by plants and the kiosks may become round triangular columns sporting interactive screens. In other instances, there has been a rising trend 6 towards toilets without doors. In hotels and homes, designers purposefully designed their toilets without door in the name of pursuing aesthetic. These futuristic and aesthetic design illustrate the emphasis of how there is an increase in number of countries focusing on the design of toilets as they represent the image of the country.

Economic Value of Toilets

The economic value of toilets has prompt governments to take more actions towards ensuring that there are clean and proper toilet facilities for their people. After all, there are endless benefits to it. First of all, the airport’s toilet facilities probably set the first impression for tourists. In this case, the toilets can build or break the reputation of the country. Generally, tourism accounts for a large portion of a country’s economy. Take for instance in Singapore, the tourism industry generates up to US$12. 4 billion and contribute 164000 jobs. With the influx of tourists, the toilets are considered very important basic facilities that the tourists would expect to be world class as well. Secondly, the provision of clean sanitation helps to reduce death or diseases caused by Diarrheal diseases due to unhygienic toilet facilities. The money spent on healthcare by the government could be greatly reduced as well with USD1 spent in building of proper toilets resulting in a minimum of USD6 in return.

The economic value of toilets proved that there is great value in investing in toilets. Furthermore, standing by the reason it helps to save lives have already justified the need for more actions by the government.

In 2010, the UN general Assembly recognized access to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a basic human right, and called for international efforts to help countries to provide clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation. Other countries such as India has contributed to the effort by pledging twenty billion aiming to construct 11 million latrines in five years. (2018) Another example includes how the Chinese President wanted more improvement to toilets across the country. These efforts by various countries show that more countries have recognized the importance of toilets for the people. However, a lot more still can be done to improve the sanitation in rural areas. In these areas, the people generally lack knowledge of the importance of hygiene and their needs are often neglected. According to the World Bank Organization, across 18 countries, 75% of people who lack improved sanitation live in rural areas. Hence, this shows that there is still much that can be done to improve the cleanliness of toilets in rural areas.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the modern state of toilets around the world differs vastly. There are many different types of toilets from squat toilets to high-tech toilets. The efforts and focus of the governments differ as well. This could be due to the difference in economic power and geographical size of the country. In order to improve the toilets across the country, the government must divert their funds and invest in the toilets. Sometimes, the government might choose to focus on other areas such as military might instead of proper sanitation for the people. Furthermore, in larger countries, it is difficult for the government to keep track of the cleanliness of each individual toilet. Without a doubt, toilets reflect an essential part of the country’s image and reputation. High tech and hygienic toilets also reflect the technology state of the country as toilets are usually one of the first facilities that users experience. It is essential that the public are educated on the importance of hygienic toilets before the organizations and governments implement new and high-tech toilets.

After all, it is the users who need to be gracious and clean the toilet after use in order to maintain the cleanliness of the toilets in the long term. In addition, with the advancement of technology and focus in sustainability, there is rapid progress in the comfort and design of toilets. Albeit the certain controversies and debates about gender-neutral toilets or even the open-urinals, what should not be denied is that efforts have been made in order for society to progress in the toilet segment. The discussion about modern toilets serve to symbolize how the 21st century toilet technology and design represent innovation to improve sustainability, comfort as well as inclusivity.